Heteroepitaxy of gallium nitride based compound semiconductors on sapphire, silicon carbide and silicon is currently used to fabricate devices such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), high power devices, and high speed radio frequency (RF) devices. Applications include lighting, computer monitors, displays, wide band gap communications, automotive, and industrial power sources. The growth of gallium nitride based devices on a sapphire substrate is a heteroepitaxial growth process since the substrate and the epitaxial layers are composed of different materials. Due to the heteroepitaxial growth process, the epitaxially grown material can exhibit a variety of adverse effects, including reduced uniformity and reductions in metrics associated with the electronic/optical properties of the epitaxial layers. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved methods and systems related to epitaxial growth processes and substrate structures used to fabricate devices.